Project 5: Responding to an Unprecedented Challenge
Creating Meaningful eLearning Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic
In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced school districts across the United States to close their campuses and switch to online instruction. This sudden change posed many challenges for teachers and students alike. As a part of a task force, I was assigned to create skills-based eLearning lessons for the content area of reading for my school district.
How I Designed and Delivered the eLearning Lessons
To create engaging and effective lessons in a short frame, I used Microsoft PowerPoint as my main tool. I designed the lessons according to the selected learning standards and objectives. I also recorded myself and added voiceovers to guide the students through the self-paced lessons.
To make the eLearning lessons engaging, I used various strategies to keep the students online and actively participating. Some of the strategies I used were:
- Using multimedia elements, such as videos, animations, and audio clips, to capture the students’ attention and appeal to different learning styles.
- Creating interactive scenarios and simulations, where the students could apply their reading skills and concepts to real-world situations and problems.
- Providing opportunities for social learning, such as discussion forums, chat rooms, and peer feedback, to foster collaboration and communication among the students.
- Offering personalized learning paths, where the students could choose their own topics, texts, and activities, based on their interests, preferences, and goals.
The completed lessons were uploaded to Schoology, the district’s learning management system (LMS), for the students to access and complete. To ensure that the students had the necessary reading materials for the lessons, I also uploaded soft copies of the texts to the LMS for them to download and print. However, I was aware that some students might not have access to a printer at home. Therefore, I also created hard copies of the materials and resources and distributed them to the students during a drive-by supply pickup day.
Sample of eLearning Videos
Here is a small sample of the eLearning videos I put together while on lockdown.
Elements of the eLearning Lessons
The eLearning lessons contained various elements to help the students learn and practice reading skills and concepts. Some of the elements included:
- Clear and concise explanations of the concepts and vocabulary, using examples and analogies.
- Relevant graphics and images to create visual appeal and enhance comprehension.
- Interactive activities and exercises to reinforce the learning and provide feedback.
- Note-taking guides and templates to help the students organize and summarize the information.
- Frequent checks for understanding, such as quizzes, questions, and reflections, to monitor the students’ progress and identify areas of improvement.
Measuring the Effectiveness of the Lessons
To measure the effectiveness of the lessons, I used various methods to collect and analyze data on the students’ learning outcomes and engagement. Some of the methods I used were:
- Quizzes and assessments to check the students’ understanding and mastery of the learning objectives.
- Surveys and feedback forms to gather the students’ opinions and suggestions on the lessons.
- Analytics and reports to track the students’ progress and completion rates on the LMS.
- Interviews and focus groups to explore the students’ experiences and challenges with online instruction.
Based on the data I collected, I was able to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the lessons and make improvements accordingly. I also shared the results and recommendations with the task force and the school district to inform future decisions and actions.